Back or seat cover



Dec. 3, '1940. E R` WAGNER 2,223,861

BACK OR SEAT COVER Filed DGO. 50, 1939 D? Ven/0r EVWIN R. WAGNER.

PatentedDec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to a cover for the seat or back of a chair, bench, stool or any other type oi seat or support upon which a person may sit, and more particularly to such a cover that will be eiiective to space the body slightly away from the seat or back to permit of air circulation through said spacing.

One of the objects of this invention is to construct a pad or cover of the kind described, made of a suitably resiliently compressible material so as to give great comfort to the user thereof, not only in being less tiring than the customary solid engagement of the body with the back or seat, but in keeping the body cooled thereat.

A principal object of the invention is to so construct the cover that it will have a plurality of resiliently compressible arms to engage the body, these arms being hollow and provided with offset ducts to expel the heated air into the atmosphere, and to provide what may be termed a pumping action of air therethrough as the body shifts its position on the cover.

Further objects of the invention are to make a device of the kind described. that will be neat and attractive in appearance, simple in design and construction, light and sanitary, which will adapt'ts shape to the support upon which it may be mounted, and which will be otherwise satisfactory and etlicient for use wherever deemed applicable.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described, and the uses mentioned, will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, as will be apparent from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists inlthe novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and the uses mentioned, as will be more clearly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pad or cover embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3 3 oi' Fig. 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of construction showing the ,rib and arm interlock.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown a pad or cover intended to be applied over any suitable supporting surface with which the human body may engage, as for example, on the seat or back of a chair, settee, bench, or other seating struc- 5 ture, somewhatin the manner of the well-known chair pads and seat covers.

The device may be provided with a iiexible backing sheet I, of canvas or pliant but sturdy material, preferably having pores therethrough. 10 Upon this backing sheet, either unitary therewith or otherwise aixed thereto, is my body-engaging member, comprising the plurality of arms 2, 2 of some suitable resiliently compressible material, such as rubber. The arms may extend transversely of the length of the sheet, if desired, and are spaced apart from one another linearly to provide air passages 3 therebetween.

The arms may be arranged in two sets, those of one set extending oppositely to those oi.' the other set, as shown, and have central ducts or openings I extending longitudinally therethrough. Additional ducts 5 may be arranged at points adjacent the ends of the arms, these ducts extending transversely to the openings 4, communicating therewith and with the passages 3, the openings at the ends of the arms extending in mutually opposite directions, so that one end opening empties into one of said air passages, and the other end duct empties into the next adjacent air passage. v

A central rib element 6 may be placed between the two sets of arms, as shown, this rib being' also of a suitable resiliently compressible material, such as rubber of the desired characteristics, and having an air opening 8 longitudinally therethrough and therealong, with transverse or offset ducts 'l communicating therewith and extending therefrom to either side.

The onset ducts 1 are so spaced apart that o when the rib element is interposed between thel sets of arms, the ducts 1 will register with the central ducts or openings I through the latter.

Although the rib element Amay be made integral with the arm elements, yet in the form shown the same is a separate element, in order to permit of greater flexibility in conforming to the shape of the chair or seat to which the device may be mounted, and to the shape of the user thereagainst. 'Ifo permit of suilicient pivotal movement between the arms and rib, while losing none of the eiieotiveness of the air conduction therebetween, I have provided a socket connection between said elements, somewhat as shown more clearly in Fig. 4, one of the elements, 55

as for example, the rib, having the socket side edges, and the other cooperating elements, namely the arms, having convex mating surfaces fitting into'said sockets.

Itis preferable that the elements 2, 2 be formed slightly wider adjacent the top than adjacent the bottom, so as to give a better and more comfortable engagement with the users body part placed thereagainst, without making the device unduly heavy or expensive, and yet retaining the principal advantages of the device.

The arms are preferably wider than their height, so that they may be termed slats, and the openings therethrough are sufliciently large to permit the free flow of air therethrough, with little or no likelihood of completely closing the openings even when the load is placed directly on the device, in use.

Not only will the air have a chance to enter and circulate in the passages 3, due simply to the spacing of the users body from the backing sheet, but even this circulation is enhanced and accelerated due to the pumping action set up as the user moves about from time to time on the pad. Such movement Will drive the air out of the various elements and permit fresh and cooler air to flow into place from which it was evacuated. Therefore, and contrary to most seats, the person who is most restless will get the most benet from my improved device while using the latter.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, combination and construction of the parts mentioned, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertains and the disclosures herein contained and claimed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cover of the kind described, comprising a mounting element, resiliently compressible bodyengaging slats extending thereacross spaced apart to provide air passages between adjacent slats, and ducts through said slats and communieating with said air passages.

2. A back or seat cover comprising a hollow resiliently compressible central rib, resiliently compressible hollow arms extending in mutually opposed directions from said rib and spaced apart to provide air passages between adjacent arms, the interior of said arms having oppositely extending transverse openings communicating adjacent its opposite ends with alternate air passages, and said interior of said arms communicating with that of said rib.

EDWIN R. WAGNER. 

